While the historic Appin Way track will host its final trial session on Saturday, January 31, Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) and the Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association (GBOTA) have worked to ensure participants will have a range of opportunities to trial in nearby locations.
In December last year the NSW Government acquired the Appin property as part of the Cumberland Koala Corridor, notifying the GBOTA that the land will be acquired at the end of February.
The GBOTA approached the NSW Government about the matter but were unsuccessful in having the acquisition of the track overturned, resulting in the closure of the venue as a greyhound trial track.
As a result of the closure, from February 16, the Bulli Club will now host trial sessions twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays.
Bulli’s Monday trials will commence at 9am, while the Thursday session commences at 8am, and bookings can be made through On The Clock.
Participants also have the opportunity to trial at the Thirlmere trial track where the new days for trialling will be on Sundays and Wednesdays to complement Bulli.
In October last year Thirlmere increased trialling to two days per week, Sundays and Thursdays, but following the Bulli announcement, GRNSW has moved the Thursday sessions to Wednesdays to work with the Bulli Club to help accommodate local trainers.
GRNSW conducted a major renovation on the Thirlmere track in December, and GRNSW’s Southern Region Track Curator Mitch Lengling visits the track weekly to ensure the best trial surface is available for participants
Club Secretary Joe Baldacchino said the track was in the best condition he had ever seen it, and it was playing fair and safe.
Thirlmere trial track can accommodate more than 40 trials per week with nominations taken also through the On The Clock system. The club provides participants with flexibility around the use of the facility with trials conducted from the 295m, 395m and 520m starting boxes as finish on trials, with participants also able to slip their greyhounds from any position on the track.
Thirlmere will conduct a trial session tomorrow (Thursday January 29), then move to Sundays and Wednesdays from next week, with sessions commencing at 8.30am on both days.
